Hecla Announces Pricing of Offering

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho--(Business Wire)--
Hecla Mining Company (NYSE:HL) ("Hecla") today announced that it
has set the price for its public offering of 31 million shares of
common stock. The Company has granted the underwriters a 30-day option
to purchase up to an additional 4 million shares of common stock to
cover over-allotments, if any. The shares are being offered to the
public at $5 per share. The offering is expected to settle and close
on September 12, 2008, subject to customary closing conditions.

The estimated net proceeds from the common stock offering are
expected to be approximately $147 million ($166.1 million assuming the
exercise in full of the underwriters' over-allotment option). The
estimated net proceeds from the offering will be used, together with
cash on hand, cash from continuing operations, and, to the extent
necessary, cash from other alternative sources, to repay Hecla's
indebtedness under its bridge facility.

Merrill Lynch & Co. and Scotia Capital are acting as the joint
book-running managers of the offering. BMO Capital Markets and RBC
Capital Markets are acting as co-managers for the offering. Copies of
the preliminary prospectus supplement and related prospectus may be
obtained from: Merrill Lynch & Co., 4 World Financial Center, Attn:
Prospectus Department, New York, New York 10080, phone: 212-449-1000,
or from Scotia Capital, Equity Capital Markets, One Liberty Plaza,
25th Floor, New York, New York 10006, phone: 212-225-6853.

The shelf registration statement relating to the foregoing has
previously been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
and became effective upon filing. This press release does not
constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the
shares of common stock or any other securities, nor will there be any
sale of the shares of common stock or any other securities in any
state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would
be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the
securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Any offering of
common stock will be made only by means of a prospectus and prospectus
supplement.

Hecla Mining Company, headquartered in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho,
mines, processes and explores for silver and gold in the United States
and Mexico. A 117-year-old company, Hecla has long been well known in
the mining world and financial markets as a quality producer of silver
and gold. Hecla's common shares are traded on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol "HL."

Statements made which are not historical facts, such as
anticipated payments or purchases are "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated,
expected or implied. These risks and uncertainties include, but are
not limited to, metals price volatility, volatility of metals
production and costs, exploration risks and results, political risks,
project development risks, labor issues and ability to raise
financing. Refer to the company's Form 10-Q and 10-K reports for a
more detailed discussion of factors that may impact expected future
results. The company undertakes no obligation and has no intention of
updating forward-looking statements.

Hecla's Home Page can be accessed on the Internet at
www.hecla-mining.com.

Hecla Mining Company
Vicki Veltkamp, 208-769-4128
vice president - investor and public relations

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